A Granger Family Reunion
by wordswordswords.22
Summary: (And how they got there). You know the trope, Hermione goes to a Granger family reunion and her family is shocked to see who she's in a relationship with. But how did they get together in the first place?
1. Run-Down Bars and Kicked-Up Balls

**(A/N: Hey, everyone! I know it's terribly cliché, but I've always loved a good Dramione Granger family reunion story. I've never read one where we can see Draco and Hermione fall in love before the family reunion, so I decided what the hell, I'll write one myself. This is my first ever fanfiction, and I'd really appreciate some feedback for it. Now onto the story!)**

**CHAPTER 1**

_Where Are They Now? _

_An investigation by Rita Skeeter_

_Seven years after the end of the Second Wizarding War, this stalwart, unyielding reporter resolved to find out what the heroes of our freedom are now up to. After all, these young, brave fighters are the reason why He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is no longer around to terrorize us. I, Rita Skeeter, have researched extensively to give my loyal readers the scoop on our saviors. _

_ Luna Longbottom is the editor of _The Quibbler, _the official news source of The Resistance when the war was ongoing. Now, _The Quibbler _runs pieces about imaginary creatures that have no known evidence of existence (See: crumple-horned snorkack). She is married to Neville Longbottom, and they have one child together. _

_Neville Longbottom, Slayer of the Snake, is now the Herbology teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is known as one of the best teachers at the esteemed institution, and I have it on good authority that he is a shoo-in for the Head of Gryffindor position. _

_ Ginny Weasley-Potter is one of the highest-paid Quidditch athletes in the world. She's led her team, the Holyhead Harpies, to victory in the Quidditch World Cup for three years. She's married to her school sweetheart, Harry Potter. They have three children together. _

_ Draco Malfoy is perhaps the most controversial of all the Heroes of Hogwarts. He supposedly spied for the Order of the Phoenix during the of the war, and Harry Potter himself testified at his hearing. Malfoy is now the owner of Malfoy Enterprises, and he has expanded into the Muggle world despite serious pushback from most of his pureblood shareholders. He is the second richest man in Wizarding Britain, and the third richest man in the Muggle economy. He has no known familial ties to anyone, other than his mother. _

_Ronald Weasley is an accomplished Auror. He is the Chief Strategist of Magical Law Enforcement, and he's won numerous awards for his brilliant strategies that led to the capture of many wanted Death Eaters. He is married to Lavender Brown, his high school sweetheart. They have one child together._

_ Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, is the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. He has had the most captures in the division's history, and his Auror partner is none other than his best friend, Ronald Weasley. He is married to Ginny Weasley-Potter. _

_Hermione Granger, the Brightest Witch of Her Age, has mysteriously disappeared off the map. She has not appeared in public for quite some time, the last time being last year's Potter anniversary celebration. The public has been clamoring for an interview, but she is nowhere to be found. All our owls sent to her have been returned unopened._

_The people want to know: Where is Hermione Granger?_

_—_—_—_

Hermione sighed as she raised the glass to her lips. She stared at the tiny piece of paper in front of her. Its monogrammed, golden letters seemed to mock her in the dimly lit Muggle pub she'd taken to frequenting. _This is so stupid, _she thought bitterly. _I managed to help defeat one of the vilest men in the world, and I'm afraid of my own family. _

The glossy invitation sat on the grimy bar counter.

_The Granger family cordially invites you,_

_Ms. Hermione Granger, _

_To our 10 Year Reunion_

_Located at the Serpent King Hotel _

_Save the Date: November 21-23_

Hermione rolled her eyes. Her family, contrary to what everyone at Hogwarts believed, was relatively well-off. Her father Daniel had turned his back against his obscenely wealthy roots and married a "poor" woman, Emma. Despite the fact that his parents had all but disowned him, he still lived comfortably. Hermione's parents were nowhere near as rich the Malfoys, but she'd never struggled with money in her childhood. She grew up loved and relatively trouble-free.

Of course, this changed after she'd erased herself from her parents' minds.

She shook herself out of her bleak thoughts. She hated thinking back to that year on the run. Not only had it scarred her physically and emotionally, it had led to the deterioration of her relationship with her family. She'd restored their memory as soon as she could, but their trust in her had been irrevocably ruined.

_Apparently, meddling with people's minds makes them upset, _she thought wryly as she drank more of her whiskey. _Who knew? _

Hermione gazed around at her surroundings. This Muggle pub was her favorite spot to unwind after a long day at work. It reminded her of her upbringing, and it was always entertaining to watch drunk Muggles stumbling around.

She worked in the deepest part of the Department of Mysteries as a researcher for magical oddities. She was well established in her field as a brilliant newcomer named Mirage Greenhorn. Hermione smirked as she thought about her alias. _Hopefully no one figures out that Mirage Greenhorn is an anagram for Hermione Granger._ She'd gotten the idea from Voldemort, and she was pretty smug about how outraged he would've been if he'd known a Mudblood took his idea.

Additionally, Hermione had found a spell a year after the war that allowed her to change her features more reliably than Polyjuice Potion. She hated the public spotlight being a Hero of Hogwarts had thrust her into, so she worked under a different name and face.

Unfortunately, she couldn't do that at the Granger Family Reunion.

She had strongly considered not coming to the reunion, but a tense conversation with her parents had changed her mind. They said that the family would be suspicious if Hermione didn't show up, and her dad couldn't afford to be alienated from his family any more than he already was.

She rolled her eyes. Her family was so obsessed with maintaining appearances. It's a good thing that she'd learned how to tame her hair, or else her mom would never let her hear the end of it for the entire weekend.

Hermione tossed her head back and downed the rest of her drink. She met the bartender's gaze and motioned for another one. She closed her eyes briefly and ran a hand through her hair.

"Hey lady," a voice slurred.

Hermione slowly opened her eyes and slid them over to her right side. A very drunk man was leaning on the bar, blinking blearily as he tried to focus on her face.

"May I help you?" she asked good naturedly.

"Why is such a beautiful woman like you looking so sad?" he hiccupped. "Come to my place and I can turn that frown upside down."

She smirked at his words. "Does that line usually work for you?"

He nodded jerkily. "Yup. That line and my baby blue eyes."

"Your eyes are brown."

He shrugged. "I may not know my colors, but I do know true love when I see it."

Hermione burst out laughing. He grinned wryly. "This isn't working, is it?"

Hermione shook her head, still giggling. "No, but I appreciated the laugh. I needed to get out of my head."

He stepped closer. "I can give you something else to appreciate," he said while eyeing her up and down.

Hermione shook her head, no longer laughing. "Back off, Romeo. I'm not interested."

He pouted and sidled up closer. "You sure? I can change your mind." He reached up and tried to stroke her cheek. She slapped his hand before it could make contact with her face.

"Nope."

"Come on, pretty lady. Come back to mine." He tried to touch her curls but ended missing and nearly poking her eye.

"The next time you try to touch me without my consent, I'll rip your arm out of its socket."

"Don't be like that, baby. Why are you being so mean? I'm a nice guy," he whined. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sure. Whatever."

"Is this guy bothering you, miss?" asked the bartender as he set down her new drink.

"Yes, actually, he is. I've asked him to leave me alone quite a few times now, but he insists on persisting." Hermione smirked. "Such a shame when a bloke has more dick in his personality than his trousers."

"You bitch!" the drunk cried out angrily, his face flushed. "Just because you're a frigid whore doesn't mean I have a small… you know!"

"Did you just call me a frigid whore? What an oxymoron!"

"Who're you calling a moron?!" the man bellowed.

"No, sweetie. An oxymoron. Like a figure of speech."

"I may be drunk, but I'm not _stupid. _That's not a real word. You're just trying to confuse me!" he snarled. Then, in a haze of inebriated fury, he swung a meaty arm at Hermione's head.

Hermione ducked under it and in a fluid motion, popped up behind him and slammed his head down on the bar countertop. She grabbed one of his flailing arms and shoved it behind him, twisting his shoulder painfully.

"Next time a woman tells you to leave her alone, you better do it," she hissed in his ear. "I've been having a really bad day, and I would hate to take my anger out on you."

She twisted his arm a little more for good measure, ignoring his yelp of pain, before letting go and stepping back. She tossed a few bills down on the bar to pay for her drinks before turning sharply and heading towards the exit.

Unbeknownst to her, the drunken man behind her had pushed off the table and was advancing on her quickly. She registered a sudden shout of warning from the bartender before her instincts kicked in. As the man lunged forward to tackle her, she brought her elbow up and allowed his momentum to carry his nose straight towards her bony joint.

She heard a dull _crack _followed by a squeak of pain. She whirled around, and this time her knee shot up to make contact with his crotch.

He crumpled to the ground, out cold. Hermione noticed that the pub was now silent, all the patrons watching the altercation. "Erm… sorry to interrupt your evening, folks." She blushed brightly, then all but sprinted out the door.

Through her embarrassment, she noticed that her stress levels were much lower.

_I should kick people in the balls more often._

**(A/N: Well, there we go. One chapter down! It was mostly exposition, but I hope you guys will stick with it. I promise it'll get more exciting, haha. Let me know what you think about it, please. I'd love to hear what you guys think about the concept and execution. Until next time!)**


	2. A Wild Draco Malfoy Appears

**(A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I went on a vacation and honestly forgot to get this chapter out. Thank you so much to those of you who followed and reviewed this story! I was grinning like an idiot as I got the notifications. This one is for you guys. Onto the story!)**

**Chapter 2**

"It was mortifying!" Hermione whined. "The entire bar was looking at me!"

Harry Potter laughed heartily at his friend's misery. She slumped deeper into the comfortable armchair in his office. Harry was wiping away tears of mirth as he imagined the situation.

Hermione scowled at him. "Seriously, the dude was asking for it! He kept trying to get me to go back to his place with him no matter how many times I told him no. He deserved it, that little…"

Harry finally managed to reign in his laughter as Hermione continued to grumble quietly. He looked at her as she scowled playfully. "You know, it's really weird to see you like this, 'Mione. Your face is just so… different. I know that you're my best friend, it's weird to hang out with you and not see _you_."

Hermione smiled sympathetically. "I'm still me, Harry. Just in different packaging. You know that I have to keep this disguise on, or else all the reporters wouldn't stop hounding me."

Harry nodded. "Trust me, if I had the chance to disappear from the public eye like you have, I'd definitely take it."

Hermione sighed. "It's pretty jarring, I guess. 'Mirage Greenhorn' looks nothing like Hermione Granger. Sometimes, I'm still surprised when I glance in the mirror with the disguise on."

Harry snorted. "I still think it's weird that you used Voldemort's anagram trick to come up with your name. First the DA coins in fifth year, now this? I'm starting to think you've got a crush on him."

Hermione smirked in mock agreement. "Damn, you've found out about my secret. There's just something about him that just really gets me going, you know?"

Harry shuddered in disgust. "Ewww, Mione. You didn't need to take it that far."

"But just imagine! If I snogged him, his nose wouldn't even get in the way!" She burst out laughing at how queasy her best friend looked at the thought.

Outside of his Ministry office, passing employees were confused about the woman in Head Auror Potter's office. Who was this woman, and why was their boss slacking off work with her?

Inside, completely unaware of the gossip mill, Harry and Hermione continued to chat with each other.

"The other day, James played this prank on Ginny. You should've seen it, 'Mione! She got so mad, she fired a Bat Bogey Hex at him before he could get away!"

Hermione laughed. "That son of yours is really living up to his namesake, isn't he?" she asked fondly.

"I honestly can't wait to see the conniption Minerva's going to throw when he gets sorted into her house in a few years. Neville's already promised to get a pic- "

Suddenly, the door to his office flew open. The two best friends immediately grabbed their wands, on the alert for a potential threat.

Draco Malfoy burst in, his hair wild and eyes panicked. "You've got to help me, Potter. I don't know who else to turn to."

Harry held his arms up in a placating gesture, instantly slipping back into his Head Auror personality. "I'm going to need you to take a few deep breaths and calm down, Malfoy. I promise I'll help you to the best of my ability, but I cannot do my job unless you're calm enough to tell me the information."

Malfoy took in a shuddering breath and lowered himself into a seat next to "Mirage", head buried in his hands. "It's my mother. Someone sent a letter to her in the mail, and she became sick the minute she touched the letter." He looked up, and Hermione was shocked to see the anguish in the normally stoic Slytherin's face. "You need to help her. She's- she's not doing well."

Harry pointed his wand to his notepad, and a quill immediately rose up and began taking notes. "Do you know where the note is now?"

Malfoy nodded and grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket. He wrapped his hand in it before he withdrew a piece of paper from his jacket. Seeing the questioning glance Harry sent him, he shrugged. "I figured that the curse was keyed into only her, but you can never be too sure. I didn't want to risk accidentally getting the curse as well."

Harry nodded, "Good thinking, Malfoy. I'll send this note to our analysts, and I'll be sure to authorize our top Healers in St. Mungos to come by your house and take care of your mother until we can figure out who sent the letter."

Malfoy shot to his feet, outraged. "You can't be serious! That's it? I've already got our family's healer looking after my mother. Isn't there anything the Ministry can do to cure her instead of alleviating the symptoms?"

Harry shook his head. "I know it's difficult to hear, but my job is to make sure the perpetrator is apprehended and brought to justice. If your private Healer cannot cure her… I'm sorry, Malfoy, I don't know what else I can do."

Malfoy's fists tightened in anger as he sneered, "Well, that's bloody terrific! The Boy Who Lived can't even help her. I suppose I should just start planning her funeral now since she's halfway in the grave already."

Hermione jumped up to her feet as well, fuming. "Listen up, Malfoy. Harry is doing the best he can because you came to the wrong department. Obviously the Aurors have no wherewithal to handle research into a potentially unknown curse, they're there to catch the perpetrator. If you wanted a cure, you should've gone to the Office for the Removal of Curses, _not _bloody law enforcement."

Malfoy wheeled around angrily. "I tried, but they said that the curse was an unknown. And- "

He suddenly stopped short when he saw who he was yelling at. "Who the hell are you anyway? Oh," he sneered, looking at her Ministry-official robes derisively, "you're one of those lackeys that thinks that the sun shines out of your Savior's arse. Kissing up to your superior won't get you that promotion, sweetheart. Why don't you try sleeping with someone else instead?"

Red descended over Hermione's eyes, but Harry's terse, "_Mirage" _doused her in ice. Malfoy had no idea that she was actually Hermione.

She took in a shuddering breath, dispelling the last vestiges of her rage. She straightened her spine imperiously, and sent him a harsh look. "I will ignore that insult because I know you're grieving your mother's ailment. However, I am the most qualified person to cure your mother. If it's an unknown curse, then the Department of Mysteries will be the best suited to solving it. Not to mention that I'm the best in my field."

Malfoy snorted, dismissing her. "You. A mere little girl. Absolutely not. Stop trying to make yourself look good in front of Potter and go back to flipping through dusty old books or whatever it is that you people do."

Harry held out a hand, stopping Hermione's retort. "No. She's right. I know that she may seem young, but we all know how deceiving age can be when it comes to these things. After all, the Second Wizarding War was won by teenagers, remember? Mirage Greenhorn is the best researcher I know in the DOM. Let her go with you to the hospital to reassess your mother," he ordered, looking every part the professional Auror.

Malfoy shook his head, calming himself slightly. "She's not at the hospital. She's in Malfoy Manor."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly behind her hood. Of course, she should have suspected. Malfoy wouldn't want the public to know that his mother was weak at the moment. She'd be treated in the privacy of their own home.

The Malfoy Manor.

The setting of her nightmares.

_The searing hot pain of a knife dragged across her arm. Ron and Harry's screams as Bellatrix tortured her. _

Hermione dimly heard Harry ask Malfoy to leave the room. She missed the impatient glare Malfoy sent at them before he strode out of the room. All she could register in her mind were the memories, flashing in front of her.

_The agony from the Cruciatus. Her own screams echoing in the room. Bellatrix's mad cackles as she slashed wildly._

"Hermione. Hermione!" Harry yelled as he grabbed her arms and shook her frantically. "You've got to snap out of it! You're safe now. The war is over." He pulled her into a hug, comforting her as the tremors wracked her frame.

"Listen, you don't have to go back there. I'll tell Malfoy that you can't do it, alright?"

Hermione shook herself out of her stupor. A cacophony of sounds and memories still echoed in her mind, but she resolutely grounded herself in the present. "No. Narcissa Malfoy is suffering, and I swore to help people when they need it. I need to do this."

She could still feel residual trembles in her limbs, but she ignored the concerned look in her best friend's eyes. "I'll do it. Call Malfoy in here and tell him we'll leave immediately. As long as I don't go into their drawing room, I'll be fine. It's not like Bellatrix tortured me in Narcissa's bedchambers."

Harry sent her a reproachful glare for her flippant tone, but she pulled away from him. "I'll be fine, Harry. I can do it."

Harry smiled wryly and said, "I could never change your mind when you decided to do something when we were younger, and I have a strong feeling I'm not going to be able to do it now. Are you sure you're up for it?"

She nodded firmly. "I can do it. I promise I'll be ok."

Harry called a visibly agitated Malfoy in again. They had a terse conversation, and both Hermione and Malfoy prepared to Floo to the Manor.

_Into the belly of the beast I go._

**(A/N: Another chapter down! Thanks for reading, everyone. Please let me know what you guys think so far! Constructive criticism helps me make the story better. Until next time!)**


	3. Meeting Mrs Malfoy

**Chapter 3**

**(A/N: Hey, everyone! Just so you know, I'll be referring to Hermione as "Mirage" whenever she's in disguise so that it doesn't get too confusing. Onto the story!)**

* * *

Malfoy stepped out of the Floo and dusted the soot from his robes. Moments later, the green flames spit out Mirage. She walked over to where he was waiting impatiently. "Please lead me to Mrs. Malfoy. I need as much time as possible to figure out what she was cursed with."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "No shit, Greenhorn. Follow me," he ordered imperiously.

Mirage clenched her fists behind his back but followed without complaint. "Tell me about her symptoms. Is she feeling feverish or nauseous?"

Malfoy nodded curtly as they walked swiftly through the dim hallways. "From what I remember, the healer said that she had a weak pulse and a high fever. She hasn't mentioned anything about nausea when I'm there. Mostly though, she's been sapped of her strength and she looks sickeningly pale."

Mirage quickly compiled a list of curses that had those symptoms in her head as they neared the room. _Possibly a slowed or mutated variation of the Opal Necklace curse…_

Finally, they reached an ornate, heavy door. Malfoy knocked on it softly before pushing it open. Inside of it, Narcissa Malfoy lay in a large bed, propped up by pillows and reading a book. The minute she heard the door open, a small smile graced her face.

"Hello, Draco. How are you, my son?"

He rushed over to his mother's side before grabbing her hand gently. "I'm more worried about you, mother. Has Healer Frank left for the day?"

She nodded weakly. "Yes, he said he'd slowed the curse as much as he could, but its trajectory is still moving. But that doesn't matter now. Who is this lovely young woman you've brought to meet me?"

Malfoy shook his head. "How could you say it doesn't matter, mother? Your health is the most important thing to me right now."

She brought her hand up to his hair as he sat down on the chair next to her. "You shouldn't concern yourself too much over me. You have your full life ahead of you. Don't be so afraid for me, son. If it's my time, then it is my time. I was lucky to survive the war and spend the last few years with you. I've made my peace with the curse, Draco. You should as well."

"No, mother. There are still so many other options we haven't tried yet. That's why I brought Ms. Greenhorn here. She's apparently one of the best researchers in the Department of Mysteries. She's going to cure you. I promise."

Narcissa sighed heavily. "I don't need a cure. I can feel how weak this is making me. I just want to spend my last few days with you. As long as I do that, I'll die with no regrets."

"No. We're going to find a cure. Please just let her try," Malfoy begged. Mirage was shocked to see such a tender side to the normally stoic blond.

Narcissa laid back against her pillows, suddenly looking exhausted. "I don't want to, Draco. Please. I'm so tired. I'm ready for it to be over."

Mirage stepped forward, laying a hand on Malfoy's shoulder. He jerked in surprise, seeming to have forgotten that she was even in the room. "Let me try to speak with her privately. Maybe I can convince her."

Malfoy seemed to debate it, looking at her mistrustfully. She continued, seeing that he'd need more convincing. "Please, Mr. Malfoy. I think I can get through to her. I really am the best in my field."

He sighed and stood up from his chair. "Fine. I don't care how you do it. Just… please," he said quietly. He walked out of the room, casting one final look at his mother before he closed the door behind him with a heavy click.

Mirage sat down at the chair he'd just vacated. Narcissa Malfoy seemed to dismiss her presence, returning her gaze back to her book.

"I understand where you're coming from. I might not have a debilitating dark curse, but I've been in the same mindset as you. I'm actually in it right now," Mirage began softly. "You're tired. You want to just go to sleep and not wake up. I don't blame you. The war... it took a toll on all of us."

Narcissa didn't respond. She continued to keep her eyes trained on the book on her lap.

Mirage sighed. "I still can't sleep, you know. I have nightmares every night about the constant fear of knowing that each day could be my last. Of knowing each day will bring yet another casualty. I wake up from the nightmares and I consider never leaving my bed. Every time I walk in Diagon Alley, I can still see the fliers calling people "Undesirables" and calling Muggleborns thieves of magic. I can still see the fear in everyone's eyes, the mistrust in their interactions with each other."

"But it all seems so meaningless to me. All the little things that brought me joy are just… nothing now. I used to read all the time. I loved being transported to different worlds and meeting new characters. They were my friends, and each story made my own life seem brighter. But now? I read so that I don't fall asleep. I read to try to feel something, _anything _like I used to. And it never comes."

She shook her head ruefully and looked down at her hands. "I haven't even told my best friends this. I feel like a character in my own life. Every single second, every single interaction is like reading words off a page. It's like I'm surrounded by fog, like every one of my movements is stilted and scripted. I act like I used to, but the meaning behind every action is gone. I eat because I need nourishment. I work because I need money."

She glanced up and made eye contact with Narcissa. The older woman had finally looked up from her book, grey eyes trained on her.

"But you know the difference between you and me? I haven't lost hope yet. I still hope for a day when this blasted fog will lift. I know that my friends are waiting for me to come back. And I'm fighting to come back to them. I won't let that bastard Riddle win."

"He took everything from me. He took my family, my innocence, my _childhood_. I won't let him take my future. We can't let him continue to leave his legacy behind, Mrs. Malfoy. We can't just roll over and wait to die so we can get away from his influence. We're going to continue to live and spite him. We're going to love and do good."

"But in order to do that, you're going to have to be willing to fight for it. These curses can wear away at your spirit, I know. You can't let it win. I'm begging you, Mrs. Malfoy. Please give yourself the courage to hope again."

Mrs. Malfoy shook her head ruefully and wiped away a single tear. "I don't know if I can, Ms. Greenhorn. Every moment that I stay alive is agony. My husband is rotting away in Azkaban. My sisters are dead. And now this curse makes even breathing painful."

"If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your son," Mirage pleaded. "He's so young, and he's lost virtually every person he loved because of the war. His godfather died a hero, his father turned his back on him for deserting the Dark side, and most of his classmates either don't trust him or think he's a traitor."

"He loves you so much, I could see it from his interactions with you. You mean everything to him. Don't leave him behind to go through it all alone. Please."

* * *

**(A/N: Holy cow that whole conversation was so hard to write. Let me know how I did! Reviews make me want to update faster (*hint hint*). I was kind of discouraged by the fact that there were no reviews on the last chapter, but I don't really know if that's typical since this is my first fic. I do have the story planned out up to chapter 15 or so but reviews help me kick my ass in gear and actually sit down to write.  
**

**Anyways, I hope you guys liked this chapter and that the whole Mirage thing is easy enough to follow because that's how I'll be writing her from now on. Until next time!)**


	4. Warm and Cozy

**Chapter 4**

**(A/N: I'm going to try to keep my updates relatively consistent for you guys, but school's kind of getting in the way of that. For now, I'll try my best to update every week. **

**Anyways, onto the chapter!)**

* * *

Mirage slipped out of the room and gently closed the doors, feeling emotionally drained. She hadn't prepared to bare so much of her soul to the older woman, but it seemed to have worked. Mrs. Malfoy had consented to treatment and seemed more determined to survive the curse.

Mirage leaned against the ornate doors, trying to regain her composure and professionalism. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, startling when she heard an awkward cough a little to her right.

There, sitting on the ground was Draco Malfoy. Mirage looked at him confusedly, wondering why the pretentious prick was sitting on the ground and not one of his fancy armchairs.

He scrambled to his feet, smoothing out his hair and dusting off his pants imperiously. She noticed that he couldn't seem to meet her eyes.

"Were- were you spying on me?" she asked incredulously.

"Please," he scoffed, "As if I don't have better things to do with my time than listen in on some random girl."

She pointed at the ground he'd just vacated. "You were sitting against the wall."

"I can sit where I want to sit! I'll have you know that that's the best place to sit in the entire Manor."

She raised her eyebrow dubiously, and the flustered man continued to defend himself. "It is! It's- erm- warm and… cozy."

"The floor by the Master bedroom is warm and cozy," Mirage repeated monotonously. It took everything in her to not laugh outright at Malfoy's obvious embarrassment.

Malfoy finally glanced at her face and seemed to recognize the amusement shining from her eyes. His ears slowly turned red and he glanced away with a huff. "Whatever! So what if I was… supervising your conversation? I was just making sure that my mother was safe."

Mirage smiled at his profile before glancing away. "I don't blame you for being worried, you know. I think it's sweet that you care so much for your mother."

After she spoke, silence descended into the dark, dim hallway. Mirage snorted softly. _Warm and cozy, my ass. _

"So.." she began hesitantly, "how much of that conversation did you overhear?" Mirage couldn't bear to meet his gaze. He'd look at her with one of those awful, pitying glances.

"I overheard it all."

"I see." Another awkward pause. Mirage fidgeted with her sleeves.

"Thank you," Malfoy said quietly. He finally glanced over at her, and she couldn't help it as her eyes instinctively met his.

"For what?"

"For bringing my mom back. For getting her to start hoping again."

Mirage cocked her head to the side. That look he gave her, it wasn't pitying like she'd expected. It was something different, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"It's not a problem. I'm just doing my job," she replied dismissively.

"Nonetheless, I feel indebted to you."

"It's really nothing- "

"Accept my fucking gratitude, Greenhorn."

Mirage's lips quirked up in amusement. "Fine. You're welcome."

And as the duo made their way back into Mrs. Malfoy's room, Mirage finally recognized the expression in Malfoy's eyes.

They held the same look that she saw every day when she looked in the mirror.

His glance wasn't pitying. It was understanding.

* * *

"Hello again, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm going to get started on a few diagnostic spells and readings so I can familiarize myself with your condition. Your son will be in here as well to observe my actions. I promise I'll do my best to keep you feeling as comfortable as possible."

The Malfoys nodded their agreement, and Mirage began speaking clearly.

"This first spell reads your basic health information. Energy levels, magical core readings, that sort of thing." She cast the spell, and immediately a few colored lights showed up and swirled above Mrs. Malfoy's chest.

"These golden lights indicate that Mrs. Malfoy's magical core levels are normal. In fact, it's pretty healthy for her age so the curse doesn't attack that particular aspect," Mirage explained.

"However," she muttered as she furrowed her brow, "Mrs. Malfoy's energy levels seem far too depleted." She tapped the tip of her wand to a flickering blue ball of light. "Your family healer is well known for being a talented specialist. The curse's effects should have slowed down drastically."

She turned to Malfoy, who was sitting by his mother's side. "Could you please give me his contact information after this session? I'd like to compare notes with him."

Malfoy nodded easily. She flashed him a quick smile before turning back to her spell and slashing her wand through the readings. She silently cast another spell, and dark spikes that ranged in height appeared in certain areas of Mrs. Malfoy's body. The largest cluster of them were situated near her hand, where she'd made contact with the paper.

Strangely enough, the curse seemed to only reside in that part of her body. Usually, Dark curses spread throughout its victim to maximize the damage. Mirage explained her findings to her captive audience before waving her wand again, wordlessly dispelling the spikes.

"I have one final spell to do, and then I'll be out of your hair in no time."

The Malfoy's looked perplexed, and they shot each other confused glances. Mrs. Malfoy was the one to ask, "What do you mean by that, dear?"

Mirage cocked her head to the side before suddenly realizing. "Oh, the saying! I'm a Muggleborn, it's a common expression. It just means I'll be leaving as soon as I'm done with this test."

She suddenly jolted. "Um… I'd hate to generalize, but you two are okay with a Muggleborn being your healer, right? I know that some purebloods are concerned about that kind of thing."

Mrs. Malfoy shook her head adamantly. "Oh no, Draco and I have tried to shed all remaining blood prejudices after the war. That's why my son branched into the Muggle world."

Mirage breathed a sigh of relief. "Well in that case, I'll just do this last spell, and I'll be on my way."

She concentrated once again on her next spell. It was a tricky spell that most healers didn't know how to cast. There were many complex wand movements, and it needed to be cast completely wordlessly. Luckily, Hermione had plenty of experience with wordless spells from the war. She frowned and began the silent incantation.

The Malfoy's gaped as the spell erupted from her wand. It filled the room with a strong golden light, but the strands of the spell itself looked like a giant knot.

Draco Malfoy looked up at the magic in awe. He reached up a hand to feel the warmth emanating from the golden jumble. "This spell is pretty powerful," he commented. "I can _feel_ the magic against my palm, kind of like a Patronus."

Mirage beamed at them. She was visibly tired from the concentration it'd taken to cast the spell but still excited. "This spell shows the magical signature of a curse as long as you know where to cast it. Based on the configuration of the magic, I can reverse engineer it and find out the properties of the spell," she explained happily.

The two Slytherins looked at her in visible confusion. Mirage backtracked a bit, trying to find a metaphor that'd help them understand.

"Erm… it's a bit like if you have a complex picture on some parchment. It's a work of art that's completely different than any other. Now imagine that the parchment has been ripped up so that the picture is no longer decipherable. That's essentially what this mess is," she said, pointing at the knot.

"Once a curse has been cast on a specific person, it mutates to fit their specific magical core. This magic is basically a representation of what the curse now looks like after it's been cast on Mrs. Malfoy."

"However, if I can find a way to detangle the magical strands and observe the way they interact with one another, I can figure out the properties of the spell and figure out how they act and behave."

"Continuing the metaphor, it's as if I took the torn pieces of the picture and figured out where each piece should go. If I can make the picture whole again, I can figure out the technique used to make the picture and recreate it."

Malfoy gaped up at her. "Wait, so does that mean…"

Mirage smiled at the mother and son. "Yes. Once I untangle the knot, I'll know how the spell is designed, and I'll be able to create a countercurse to cure her."

* * *

**(A/N: Thank you guys so much for the reviews from the last chapter! I so so so appreciate you guys since feedback lets me know how I'm doing (and it motivates me to write faster). I don't have a beta, so I'm sorry for any bad grammar or awkward sentences. **

**Anyways, I hope the last part made sense. I had a cool idea for a spell, but I'm not really sure if I explained it well enough. Let me know how I did! **

**Until next time!)**


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